Chapter Text
The alarm clock woke him with a shrill tone. Stiles turned around and hit the snooze button with a growl. He hated Mondays. Mondays were evil!
Slowly, he pushed the blanket back and stood up. The only thing that could drag him out of the black hole of early mornings was magic. Magic in the form of the incredibly expensive French coffee maker the pack had given him as a house-warming gift.
Still half asleep, he scuffled into the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks, anger pushing him into awareness. He couldn't smell the familiar aroma of fresh ground beans and hot coffee, just waiting for him to be poured in the biggest mug he owned.
With two steps he was at the machine and stared at the blinking light. Damn it! Where the fuck was the manual?!
Ten minutes and a good amount of swearing later, he still hadn't figured out what was wrong. Apparently the timer hadn't started – this, he was sure of, given the fact there was no coffee in sight – but why, that remained a mystery. He had switched it off and on – nothing. He had checked the water, tried descaling the tank and looked at the brewing unit, but all in vain. Seemed like he had to start his day without his magic fix.
"What do you want?" he shouted at the coffee maker, whose blinking light was taunting him. He patted the chromed exterior in an attempt to convince it to brew his coffee but nothing happened. "Haven't I been good to you?" Okay... off again, on again, press the coffee button.
A stream of cold water hit him -"What!" - square in the chest.
Stiles huffed impatiently and gave the coffee maker the evil eye. Great! Not enough that it was 5.30 a.m. in the morning and he had to start his day without a precious cup of caffeine, now he had to change his uniform as well.
Mondays. He hated them!
**
The streets were empty at this time of day, except one or two poor souls on their way to work. Otherwise, Beacon Hills was sound asleep. Stiles yawned. He didn't look forward to work. Mondays were the cruelest. After a whole weekend of utter laziness, he had to drag his ass back to the station. His coffee was what softened the blow and the caffeine helped to wake him up. But because fate hated him today he had to make due with the station's coffee. Ugh... he really hated Mondays!
While Stiles was silently cursing his luck, his eyes wandered over the empty shops along the main street. Susan's Bakery, Carl's Hardware Store, a 7/11, and a brand new sign with a steaming coffee pot on it announcing "D's Coffee".
He slowed down and stopped in one of the three parking spots in front of it.
He knew that old Harvey had closed his shop and that the space was up for rent, but hadn't heard any rumors about a new owner. He shrugged and made his way to the door;
when he opened it, the scent of fresh coffee hit him. He breathed in deeply and glanced at the counter. There was nobody there. No person, anyway; instead there stood a big monstrosity of a coffee machine. One of the fancy ones Stiles had always wanted to have but never could afford. Not to mention the fact that it was half as big as his whole kitchen. He just hoped it held its promise of well brewed coffee.
On his left he saw a small lounge. Comfortable chairs and low tables gave off a perfectly homey vibe. A place one just wanted to sit and enjoy a drink.
A cough made him turn around.
"Morning." The man behind the counter smiled. "What can I do for you?"
Stiles blinked surprised, momentarily lost for words.
Danny?
It was Danny!
Stiles had always liked him. Danny was the first guy he had been attracted to. And finding him here unexpectedly behind the counter of the new Coffee Shop in town really was a surprise.
"Stiles?" Danny's smile grew wide. "I see you're still in town. So what can I do for you?"
Stiles rubbed his neck and breathed in. "I could kill for a White Mocha with a triple shot of espresso."
Danny raised an eyebrow, then nodded and got to work.
"You sure about the espresso?"
Stiles returned the raised eyebrow, the hope of tasty caffeine letting him join in Danny's smile. "Absolutely."
Danny nodded again and continued to work on the monstrosity of machine.
"So..." Stiles leaned against the counter. "What are you doing here? I always thought you were out there, gone to college."
Danny looked at him not sure if Stiles was kidding. Then he laughed. "I graduated 5 years ago."
"And came back to Beacon Hills to work in a Coffee Shop? That's sad, man!"
Shit! That wasn't what he had wanted to say. Foot, meet mouth.
Danny only shrugged. "I know it seems weird. But after I worked at Etronic Industries for a couple of years I realized that programming wasn't what I thought it would be. Way too many idiots out there."
He gave Stiles a look; the Sheriff felt rightly chastised.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"Besides... we can't all climb the steps of the ladder", Danny gestured at Stiles' uniform. "Sheriff? Seriously?"
Stiles laughed, all insults forgotten. "I know. Crazy, isn't it?"
"Kind of suits you." Danny winked.
"Thanks... I guess." Stiles rubbed his neck again. "It turned out to be a good choice. I like my job."
Danny added milk to the cup. "So do I. And I don't just work here – this is mine."
Stiles eyes wandered around the shop again. "You bought the place?"
"And renovated, and decorated it, and made it the one place I desperately needed when I was studying." He put down a steaming cup in front of Stiles. "Nothing against California, but they couldn't do good coffee if their lives depended on it."
Stiles took the cup and smelled the bittersweet scent of his favorite beverage in the whole world. A sip confirmed what his nose had already told him; apparently Danny used the good stuff.
"Oh my god", he sighed, "you're a life-saver."
Danny chuckled quietly. "Always at your service."
Stiles took another sip.
"What do I owe you?"
The taller man shook his head and gave him another smile.
"It's on the house."
**
It was lunchtime when Stiles came back. Seemed the word had gotten out, because the line was already reaching the door.
Stiles joined everyone and watched Danny. He looked right at home, chatting with the customers and smiling at each and every one of them while working on their orders.
Some people had recognized him as he’d come in, and Stiles gave a few friendly nods. In the beginning, it had felt strange. He was so used to his father being "the Sheriff" that the first couple of times people called him that, he had looked over his shoulder expecting to find his Dad there.
But over time Stiles had grown into his role. He had always wanted to help people, and after his tumultuous years with the pack it had became even clearer to him. After his Dad had retired he had taken the chance and applied for a job at the station. That he would end up the actual Sheriff was something he hadn't expected, to say the least. The day he had won the election his Dad had taken him aside and talked to him about all the things he himself had learned in his career, and everything Stiles would inevitably see in this line of work. Then he had hugged him, asked him to be safe and told him that he was proud.
That was the moment Stiles had felt for the first time that he wasn't a child anymore.
"Hi Stiles!"
Danny's voice brought him back to reality.
"Oh, hi Danny!"
Stiles turned around but he was alone at the counter.
"Back so soon?"
"What can I say... I need my fix."
"White Mocha with triple espresso?"
Danny didn't wait for an answer but started to add things to a cup.
"Has anybody ever told you that too much caffeine isn't good for you?"
Stiles grinned. "Shouldn't you encourage my little vices, Danny-boy? After all, it's to your advantage."
"Let me make you something different. Three shots of espresso really isn't the best lunch option."
The Sheriff sighed in defeat. "I lost my baby today, and you're the only place in Beacon Hills who sells the good stuff. Whatever you make better taste like heaven."
"Your baby?"
Stiles rolled his eyes. "My incredibly expensive and incredibly stupid French coffee maker, which refused to work this morning. I gave it everything I had, but it abandoned me in my time of need," he whined. "And without coffee in the morning I'm only half a man!" He paused for a moment. "Especially on Mondays."
Danny's laugh crinkled his eyes. "Guess it's a good thing you found me then."
Stiles laughed as well and took the offered coffee. "You have no idea."